Electrical connectors and housings therefore

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a multipart dielectric housing for holding electrical terminals. One half of the housing comprises two or more pieces which mate either singlely or jointly with the other half of the housing. The terminals disclosed include cylindrical stabilizing rings located in the wire barrel portion and designed to stabilize the terminal in a cavity of the housing disclosed.

United States Patent Kunkle et al.

[54] ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS AND HOUSINGS THEREFORE [72] lnventors: JohnPhilip Kunkle, Harrisburg; James Raymond Kunkle, Enola,

both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

[22] Filed: Oct. 28, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 84,702

[52] US. Cl. ..339/19, 339/65, 339/176 M, 339/184 M, 339/196 M,'339/2l7S [51] Int. Cl. ..H0lr 31/08, HOlr 13/64 [58] Field of Search..339/l8 R,18 P, 19, 22 R, 22 B, 339/31 R, 31 M, 32 R, 32 M, 65, 75 R, 75

M, 176 M, 184 R, 184 M, 185, 186 R, 186

M, 191 M, 192 R, 195 R, 195 A, 195 M,

196,198 S, 198 P, 206 R, 206 P, 211, 217 S,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,399,374 8/1968 Pauza etal. ..339/211 51 Oct. 10, 1972 2,891,103 6/1959 SwengeL. ..339/217 S3,178,669 4/1965 Roberts ..339/217 S 2/1971 Merry ..339/217 S PrimaryExaminer-Marvin A. Champion Assistant ExaminerLawrence J. StaabAtt0rneyWilliam J. Keating, Ronald D. Grefe, Gerald K. Kita, FrederickW. Raring, Jay L. Seitchik, John R. Flanagan and Allan B. Osborne [5 7]ABSTRACT Disclosed is a multipart dielectric housing for holdingelectrical terminals. One half of the housing comprises two or morepieces which mate either singlely or jointly with the other half of thehousing. The terminals disclosed include cylindrical stabilizing ringslocated in the wire barrel portion and designed to stak bilize theterminal in a cayity of the housing disclosed.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS AND IIOUSINGSTHEREFORE This invention relates to electrical connectors and, moreparticularly, to the type used in automotive and v appliance harnessmaking.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved electricalconnector.

A further object is to provide an electrical terminal with stabilizingmeans integral therewith.

A still further object is to provide a multipart con nector housing tofacilitate harness assembly in the appliance or automobile by separatingone half of the connector into several parts allowing assembly fromdifferent directions.

An additional object is to provide a connector housing wherein onemating half is comprised of two or more pieces thereby allowing apredetermined number of electrical circuits to be made.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing amultipart connector housing with one half designed to mate with a secondhalf, the second half being made up of two or more pieces. One or anynumber less than all of the pieces or all of the pieces making up thesecond half may be mated with the first half of the housing. Eachseparate piece of the housing has one or more cavities therein extendingfrom a front face to a back face and designed to accept an electricalterminal. The electric terminals have cylindrical contact portions, theterminals in one half of the housing being receptacles and in the otherhalf, pins which are received by the receptacles. Each contact portionis of a diameter designed to support itself in the forward end of thecavity. The rearmost portion of the terminal is supported or stabilizedin the cavity by a stabilizing ring integral with the wire barrelportion and located between the conductor barrel and the insulationbarrel. The multipart half of the connector housing has a hood extendingforwardly of the front or mating face of the housing half andtelescopically receives the single piece connector housing half.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of theinvention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments arenot intended to be ex haustive nor limiting of the invention but aregiven for purposes of illustration and principles thereof and the mannerof applying them in practical use so that they may modify them invarious forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of aparticular use.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled connector housingincluding terminated wires;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a one-piece housing halfcontaining the receptacle terminals including separate bus bars and amultipart housing half containing the pin terminals;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view showing one piece of themultipart half in mating relation ship with the one-piece half;

FIG. 4 is a top fragmentary sectional view showing in detail therelationship of the uppermost terminal cavities and terminals of the twomating pieces with attendant latching features;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the respective pieces inmating relationship;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the pin and receptacleterminals used in the respective connector housing pieces; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a housing half designedto mate only with the upper piece of the multipart housing half shown inFIGS. 1 3.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 3, the preferred embodiment is shown anddepicted at 10. The one-piece housing half is shown at 12 and containseight cavities 14 therein extending from a front face 16 through to aback face 18 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The housing 12 is basically arectangle containing six cavities with a seventh cavity 20 located abovethe center two cavities l4 and an eighth cavity 22 located below theleft two cavities 14. The purpose of this arrangement is to providekeying whereby the two pieces 24, 26 of the mating housing half cannotbe connected to housing half 12 improperly. Additionally, connector 12has located on opposite sides thereof a pair of forwardly extending arms28 which are generally channel or U-shaped in cross-section with theopen sides of the channels 30 facing each other. The front face 16 ofconnector 12 can be recessed at the entrance of a vertical row ofcavities. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, recessed portions 32, 34appear in the left and right hand vertical rows of cavities.These'recessed portions are designed to receive bus bars 36, 38 whichhave apertures 40 designed to receive the forward end of the receptacleterminal depicted in FIG. 6. The portions 42 struck from the bars 36, 38to make apertures 40 have surfaces which electrically engage thereceptacle terminal.

Located on the exterior side surfaces of the housing portions containingcavities 20, 22 are indent grooves 44 for receiving mating detents 46(see FIGS. 4 and 5) on pieces 24, 26 respectively, for purposes oflatching the connector pieces together.

Each connector piece 24, 26 has a generally planar mating face 48, 50,respectively. At the outer side portions of pieces 24, 26 are ribs 52,54 respectively, which are to be received in channels 30 of connector12. Extending forwardly from the front face of each connector 24, 26 isa hood 56, 58 which is designed to telescopically receive the forwardend of connector 12 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 5. Connector 24 includes acentrally offset cavity 60 for axial alignment with cavity 22 andconnector 26 has a centrally located cavity 62 for alignment with cavity20. Connector 24 also includes two forwardly extending projections 64which are designed to abut the bus bars 36, 38 to hold the bars in therecessed positions. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3 either one of theconnectors 24, 26 may be used by itself or together in mating withconnector 12, depending upon a desire for completing four or eightcircuits.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 6 the terminals used in the respective housinghalves are a receptacle terminal 66 and a pin terminal 68. Each terminalhas a wire barrel portion comprising an insulation barrel 70, aconductor barrel 72, and a cylindrical stabilizing ring 74 locatedbetween barrels 70 and 72 for stabilizing the rear portion of theterminal in the respective cavities, as seen in FIGS. 4 and S. Forwardlyof the conductor barrel and rearwardly of the contact portion of eachterminal is a cylindrical portion 76. This portion 76 engages a reducedannular portion 78 located in the forward portion of the cavities and issupported or stabilized thereby as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Adjacent the rear edge of cylindrical portions 76 are ears 80 extendinggenerally radially outwardly of the terminal body and designed to engagethe rear shoulder 82 of annular portion 78 for purposes of limitingforward travel of the terminal. Located on opposite sides of the contactportion or receptacle 84 and on the contact portion or pin 86 areresilient cantilevered wings 88 connected at the forward end to thecontact portions and with the free ends extending outwardly rearwardlyand in close proximity to cylindrical portion 76. Upon insertion of therespective terminal in a respective cavity the free ends of the wings 88are flexed inwardly by the annular portion 78 and upon full insertion ofthe terminal the wings spring back outwardly and engage the forwardshoulder 90 of annular portion 78 to prevent rearward movement of theterminal. The diameter of the pin 86 is reduced relative to the diameterof receptacle 84 so as to be received thereby.

The embodiment of FIG. 7 shows a four cavity connector 92 designed tomate with the upper connector 26 shown in FIGS. 1 3 and like parts aredepicted by like numerals. Thus connector 92 has three cavities 14arranged horizontally with a fourth cavity located centrally above thecavities 14. This structure, as in the similar structure of connector12, is for keying purposes to prevent improper mating of connectorhalves. Located on connector 92 are indent grooves 44 for latching withindents 40 of connector 26. Connector 92 has located on opposite sidesthereof channels 94 facing each other which channels receive the ribs 54of connector 26.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and otherdesirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasizedthat the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown anddescribed herein are intended as merely illustrative and not asrestrictive of the invention.

We claim:

1. An electrical connection comprising mating pin and receptacleterminals, each terminal having a contact portion, and wire barrelportion, said contactportion of said pin terminal comprising acylindrical member including a rounded nose portion and having a pair ofresilient cantilever retaining wings struck out of opposite sidesthereof with the free ends of said wings extending toward the wirebarrel portion, a pair of stop ears struck outwardly from oppositesides-of an intermediate portion connecting said contact and wire barrelportions, said contact portion of said receptacle member comprising acylindrical member receiving said pin terminal contact portion andhaving a pair of resilient cantilever wings struck out of opposite sidesthereof with the free ends of said wings extending toward the wirebarrel portion, a pair of stop ears struck outwardly from opposite sidesof an intermediate portion connecting said contact and wire barrelportions, the wire barrel portion of each terminal comprising aconductor barrel adjacent said intermediate portion, a conductorinsulation barrel spaced from said conductor barrel, and stabilizingmeans located between said conductor barrel and said conductorinsulation barrel.

2. An electrical connection as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidstabilizing means comprises a generally cylindrical ring membersubstantially in axial alignment with said contact portions.

3. A multipart connector housing of dielectric material comprising afirst half and a second half, each half having a plurality of cavitiesextending therethrough from front to back, each cavity adapted toreceive and hold an electrical connector, said second half comprising atleast a first piece and a second piece each piece containing a pluralityof said cavities, said first half including facing channels located onopposite sides of said first half, and ribs located on opposite sides ofsaid first and second pieces, said ribs located, respectively, in saidchannels when front faces of said pieces are mated with a correspondingfront face of said first half, said first and second pieces each havingintegral therewith a hood portion extending beyond said front face andtelescopically receiving therein said first half, said first and secondpieces being mateable with said first half either singlely or together,respective cavities in each half being in axial alignment upon mating ofsaid halves.

4. A multipart connector housing as set forth in claim 3 wherein saidfirst housing half has recessed portions in said front faceinterconnecting adjacent cavities, said recessed portions having locatedtherein bus bar means.

5. An electrical connector assembly comprising a first molded connectorhousing comprising a block having a plurality of contactreceivingcavities extending therethrough from the rearward face thereof to themating face thereof, two additional molded connector housings, each ofsaid additional housings having contact receiving cavities extendingtherethrough from the rearward faces thereof to the mating facesthereof, the total number of said cavities in said additional connectorsbeing no greater than the number of cavities in said first connector,

said first connector having a pair of arms integral therewith onopposite sides thereof, said arms extending forwardly past said matingface of said first connector housing, said arms having generally channelshaped cross-sections, the said channelshaped cross-sections of saidarms being opposed to each other,

each of said two additional connector housings having a pair of ribsintegral therewith and extending therefrom past the mating faces of saidadditional connectors, the thickness of each of said ribs beingsubstantially one half of the distance between the sidewalls of saidchannel-shaped cross-sections, and said ribs on each of said additionalconnector housings being separated by a distance equal to the distancebetween said channel-shaped arms whereby, either of said additionalconnectors housings can be mated with said first connector housing uponmovement of either of said additional housings into engagement with saidfirst connector housing with entry of said ribs into said channels.

6. An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein eachof said additional connector housings has a hood extending forwardlyfrom its mating face, said hoods being adapted to extend over portionsof said first connector when said additional connectors are mated withsaid first connector.

1. An electrical connection comprising mating pin and receptacleterminals, each terminal having a contact portion, and wire barrelportion, said contact portion of said pin terminal comprising acylindrical member including a rounded nose portion and having a pair ofresilient cantilever retaining wings struck out of opposite sidesthereof with the free ends of said wings extending toward the wirebarrel portion, a pair of stop ears struck outwardly from opposite sidesof an intermediate portion connecting said contact and wire barrelportions, said contact portion of said receptacle member comprising acylindrical member receiving said pin terminal contact portion andhaving a pair of resilient cantilever wings struck out of opposite sidesthereof with the free ends of said wings extending toward the wirebarrel portion, a pair of stop ears struck outwardly from opposite sidesof an intermediate portion connecting said contact and wire barrelportions, the wire barrel portion of each terminal comprising aconductor barrel adjacent said intermediate portion, a conductorinsulation barrel spaced from said conductor barrel, and stabilizingmeans located between said conductor barrel and said conductorinsulation barrel.
 2. An electrical connection as set forth in claim 1wherein said stabilizing means comprises a generally cylindrical ringmember substantially in axial alignment with said contact portions.
 3. Amultipart connector housing of dielectric material comprising a firsthalf and a second half, each half having a plurality of cavitiesextending therethrough from front to back, each cavity adapted toreceive and hold an electrical connector, said second half comprising atleast a first piece and a second piece each piece containing a pluralityof said cavities, said first half including facing channels located onopposite sides of said first half, and ribs located on opposite sideS ofsaid first and second pieces, said ribs located, respectively, in saidchannels when front faces of said pieces are mated with a correspondingfront face of said first half, said first and second pieces each havingintegral therewith a hood portion extending beyond said front face andtelescopically receiving therein said first half, said first and secondpieces being mateable with said first half either singlely or together,respective cavities in each half being in axial alignment upon mating ofsaid halves.
 4. A multipart connector housing as set forth in claim 3wherein said first housing half has recessed portions in said front faceinterconnecting adjacent cavities, said recessed portions having locatedtherein bus bar means.
 5. An electrical connector assembly comprising afirst molded connector housing comprising a block having a plurality ofcontactreceiving cavities extending therethrough from the rearward facethereof to the mating face thereof, two additional molded connectorhousings, each of said additional housings having contact receivingcavities extending therethrough from the rearward faces thereof to themating faces thereof, the total number of said cavities in saidadditional connectors being no greater than the number of cavities insaid first connector, said first connector having a pair of armsintegral therewith on opposite sides thereof, said arms extendingforwardly past said mating face of said first connector housing, saidarms having generally channel shaped cross-sections, the saidchannel-shaped cross-sections of said arms being opposed to each other,each of said two additional connector housings having a pair of ribsintegral therewith and extending therefrom past the mating faces of saidadditional connectors, the thickness of each of said ribs beingsubstantially one half of the distance between the sidewalls of saidchannel-shaped cross-sections, and said ribs on each of said additionalconnector housings being separated by a distance equal to the distancebetween said channel-shaped arms whereby, either of said additionalconnectors housings can be mated with said first connector housing uponmovement of either of said additional housings into engagement with saidfirst connector housing with entry of said ribs into said channels. 6.An electrical connector assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein each ofsaid additional connector housings has a hood extending forwardly fromits mating face, said hoods being adapted to extend over portions ofsaid first connector when said additional connectors are mated with saidfirst connector.